Shelby County commissioners approved a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – with one key amendment change during their meeting Monday, Aug. 27.

2. Memphis Speculative Industrial Building Will Be First in a Decade - Thursday, August 23, 2018

An Atlanta-based real estate development and acquisition company next month plans to start building Memphis’ first speculative industrial space in more than decade, the company announced Wednesday.

3. Commission Delays Quinn Road Development After Collierville Opposition - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote on a proposed a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – during their meeting Monday, Aug. 13.  

4. Line Between ‘Get Out the Vote,’ ‘Crossover’ Melts In Campaign Heat - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Get Out The Vote – the plan known among politicos by the shorthand GOTV – has slipped across the line that separates it from “crossover” – the sometimes-controversial act of pushing to get those on the other side of the partisan divide to cross political lines and vote for the other party’s nominee.

5. Commission Races Feature Basar Upset, Lowery is Newest Commissioner - Thursday, May 3, 2018

The 13-member Shelby County Commission will have eight new faces when all of the votes are counted in the Aug. 2 county general election.

Five of the current incumbent commissioners are term-limited from seeking re-election this year and two other incumbents chose not to seek a second term.

6. Commission Races Feature Basar Upset - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The Shelby County Commission will have eight new faces when all of the votes are counted in the Aug. 2 county general election.

Five of the current incumbent county commissioners are term-limited from seeking re-election this year and two other incumbents chose not to seek a second term on the 13-member body.

7. First Primaries Kick Off Busy Election Year - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Shelby County voters go to the polls Tuesday, May 1, in the first of three elections this year that will take in county, state and federal offices by the time the last vote is counted in November.

The primary elections Tuesday for 23 Shelby County government offices are being watched closely by local Republican and Democratic leaders. They are watching the turnout and what the results say about the political temperament and activism of a county Hillary Clinton carried with 60 percent of the vote in the November 2016 presidential general election won by Republican Donald Trump.

8. Early Vote in Shelby County Primaries Tops 20,000 So Far - Tuesday, April 24, 2018

More than 20,000 voters cast ballots early through Saturday, April 21, in advance of the May 1 election, more than half in the Democratic county primaries.

According to the Shelby County Election Commission numbers, 12,001 of the 20,717 early voters cast their ballots in the Democratic primaries and 8,716 voted early in the Republican primaries through the last weekend of the period.

9. Local, State and Federal Election Cycles Blend On Last Weekend of Early Voting - Monday, April 23, 2018

Candidates in the August and November elections were out on the last weekend of early voting in Shelby County in advance of the May 1 election day for county primaries.

The events were a mix of candidates from all three elections on the calendar in 2018.

10. Luttrell Says He Might Veto Contract And Budget Amendment Moratorium - Thursday, April 5, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell says placing a moratorium on any contracts or budget amendments through the end of August is “counterproductive” and he is considering, among other reactions, a veto of the measure approved Monday, April 2, by the Shelby County Commission.

11. County Commission Weighs New Majority, Past Experience in Preparing for Budget Season - Monday, March 19, 2018

Shelby County commissioners have plenty to occupy their time as they await the arrival of budget season in May. There is the planning and terms of the county getting into the sewer business, opioid programs and a lawsuit. There is also the exploration with the Memphis City Council and Greater Memphis Chamber of repositioning the city’s economic development pursuits.

12. Council and Commission Talk Pre-K and Workforce Development - Monday, March 5, 2018

When 20 of the 26 Memphis City Council members and Shelby County Commissioners got together Thursday, March 1, at Beale Street Landing, the idea of county government providing funds to expand access to prekindergarten got resistance on the county side.

13. Council and Commission Talk Pre-K and Workforce By The River - Friday, March 2, 2018

When 20 of the 26 Memphis City Council members and Shelby County Commissioners got together Thursday, March 1, at Beale Street Landing, the idea of some kind of county government funding for expanding access to pre-kindergarten ran into some resistance on the county side.

14. May Primaries Feature More Candidates, Women - Friday, March 2, 2018

The May 1 Shelby County primary ballot is set, with 33 Republicans and 50 Democrats seeking 23 county offices – specifically the right to advance as the nominees of their respective parties to the August county general election.

15. County Primary Ballot Includes Partisan Match-Ups, Automatic Wins - Monday, February 19, 2018

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

16. Two County Commissioners Re-elected At May Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, February 16, 2018

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

17. Four County Commissioners Unopposed As May Ballot Filing Deadline Approaches - Thursday, February 15, 2018

With a noon deadline Thursday, Feb. 15, to make the May 1 Shelby County primary ballot, four incumbent county commissioners had no opposition filed in their re-election bids.

Five Republican primary races on the ballot for 23 county offices, including the 13 commission seats, were one-candidate affairs with two or more Democrats running in the competing primaries as of Tuesday. Two Democratic primary races were also one-candidate races against a field of multiple Republican contenders in the companion primary.

18. Filing, Fundraising Pace Quickens in County Elections - Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Two of the five major contenders for Shelby County mayor in the May 1 primaries have six-figure campaign war chests and a third is just a few thousand dollars away.

That’s according to campaign finance statements filed last week with the Shelby County Election Commission for the period July 1, 2017, to the end of 2017.

19. Shelby County Joins Memphis in Landfill Moratorium - Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on any new construction landfills in unincorporated Shelby County on Monday, Jan. 22.

The resolution is the companion to a Memphis City Council resolution passed earlier this month that imposed a six-month moratorium on such landfills within the city of Memphis.

20. Commission Adds County Landfill Moratorium to City Ban - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved a six month moratorium Monday, Jan. 22, on any new construction landfills in unincorporated Shelby County. The resolution is the companion to a Memphis City Council resolution passed earlier this month that imposed a six-month moratorium on such landfills within the city of Memphis.

21. County Commission Gets New Majority in September - Saturday, January 20, 2018

Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term on the commission in the 2018 county elections.

22. Shelby County Commission to Have New Majority in September - Monday, January 15, 2018

District 2 Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term in the 2018 county elections.

23. Shelby County Commission To Have New Majority in September - Friday, January 12, 2018

District 2 Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term on the commission in the 2018 county elections.

24. Memphis Experts See Economic Growth Building Off 2017 Into 2018 - Saturday, January 6, 2018

With resolutions made and the new year now, another annual exercise rises to the forefront – predictions on what Memphis and its economy can expect in 2018.

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that there’s so much we won’t be able to even remotely see coming, from Memphis bidding to become the potential home for Amazon’s second headquarters to action finally being taken on the Confederate monuments in city parks and so much more.

25. Battling Opioids - Friday, January 5, 2018

Later this month, Shelby County government will roll out a public health effort led by the Shelby County Health Department to battle opioid addiction. “We’re taking a very long view of this. It’s not going to be a quick fix,” Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell told Shelby County Commission members Wednesday, Jan. 3, during committee sessions.

26. County Commission Approves Sheriff Pay Raise - Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Shelby County commissioners voted 10-0 Monday, Dec. 18, to raise the pay of the Shelby County sheriff elected in 2018 from $116,955 a year to $135,575 annually.

The ordinance approved was an amended version of an earlier ordinance that was voted down in November, coming up short of the nine votes – a two-thirds majority – needed to pass. Two related ordinances were also voted down in November that would have raised the pay of four other county elected officials and all 13 county commissioners effective with those elected in 2018. Those two ordinances were not reconsidered by the commission Monday.

27. County Commission Approves Sheriff Pay Raise - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Shelby County commissioners voted 10-0 Monday, Dec. 18, to raise the pay of the Shelby County sheriff elected in the 2018 elections from the current $116,955 a year to $135,575 annually.

The passage of the ordinance was a reconsidered and amended version of an earlier ordinance that was voted down in November, coming up short of the nine-vote two-thirds majority needed to pass. Two other ordinances were also voted down in November that would have raised the pay of four other countywide elected officials and all 13 county commissioners effective with those elected in 2018. Those two ordinances were not reconsidered by the commission.

28. Last Word: Grizz Troubles Deepen, Germantown Kroger Enigma and The Strikers - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Tigers over Great Danes Tuesday at the Forum 67 – 58. The Grizz are in Washington Wednesday to play the Wizards and some of the attention around the Grizz is shifting away from what happens on the court. What would you call the place that the Grizz are at this mile marker past Grit & Grind? It is more than a losing streak, says Don Wade in his Press Box column.

29. County Commission Renews Opioid Legal Skirmish with County Administration - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday, Dec. 4, to hire another attorney to represent it in an ongoing legal battle with county mayor Mark Luttrell over opioid litigation. And the commission approved a resolution declaring opioid abuse a “public nuisance” as an opening to legal depositions of opioid manufacturers and distributors.

30. Sawyer, Goff Kick Off Commission Campaigns - Thursday, November 30, 2017

Tami Sawyer and Sam Goff may be seeing each other on the August county general election ballot. But between now and May, they have separate primary races for the District 7 seat on the Shelby County Commission.

31. The Next Four Years - Saturday, November 18, 2017

A week before candidates for the 2018 Shelby County elections could pull qualifying petitions to run, Shelby County Commissioner David Reaves was thinking out loud on Facebook.

“Next four years,” was how it began.

32. Commission Convenes To Address ‘Messy’ Issue - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Shelby County commissioners meet in special session Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. to vote on ratifying a decision made last week by commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer to hire outside legal counsel to pursue a lawsuit against companies that make and distribute opioid drugs.

33. County Administration Sues Commission Chair Over Possible Opioid Litigation - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Shelby County government is suing Shelby County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer over her decision last week to hire outside counsel to possibly join litigation against the pharmaceuticals industry over opioid addiction and its impact on county government.

34. Last Word: Fairgrounds Surprises, Aquarium Reprise and Six Open Commission Seats - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

There are lots of renderings and blueprints floating around this city of ours these days. Land opening up, locations changing, possibilities revealed, new uses for old places and old places giving way to new. So it’s not surprising to see some smaller changes that are nevertheless highly visible. Thus comes word with the new week that Spin City, the corner tenant at Poplar and Highland in Poplar Plaza, will close with the new year and Spaghetti Warehouse, on Huling Downtown, will close later this month in the week before Thanksgiving.

35. Last Word: Changes Behind Highland Row, Lee Harris Opens and Ron Olson Moves - Friday, November 3, 2017

Shelby County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer says the commission, through its attorneys, is in ‘the final stages of launching litigation” against big pharma over the opioid problem locally. And in a written statement Thursday she said she believes the litigation “will result in significant recovery for hundreds of millions of dollars that Shelby County has spent trying to heal, save, nurse and otherwise deal with the opioid crisis.” Shafer specifically announced the hiring on a contingency basis of a national law firm.

36. Shelby County Commission Short of Votes for Pay Raises - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Proposed pay raises for 19 of Shelby County government’s top elected positions don’t appear to have the nine votes necessary to pass on third and final reading in two weeks.

So Shelby County commissioner Van Turner is looking for a compromise that might put the double-digit percentage raises to voters in a 2018 referendum or tie future raises to any pay increases other county government employees get.

37. County Pay Raises Short of Votes, In Search of Compromise - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Proposed pay raises for 19 of Shelby County government’s top elected positions don’t appear to have the nine votes necessary to pass on third and final reading in two weeks.

So Shelby County commissioner Van Turner is looking for a compromise that might put the double-digit percentage pay raises to voters in a 2018 referendum or tie future pay raises to any raises that county government rank and file employees get.

38. Commission Delays Votes On Finance Ordinances - Saturday, September 16, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners delayed votes Monday, Sept. 11, on a set of three resolutions dealing with county finances, citing the need for further discussion and questions.

The first of the three is a supplement to the interlocal agreement on financing the Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority to pay the debt on FedExForum. The agreement allows revenue from a 2015 increase in the hotel-motel tax to be used to finance renovations of the Memphis Cook Convention Center as well as the debt on the arena.

39. Commission Delays Votes On Finance Ordinances - Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners delayed votes Monday, Sept. 11, on a set of three resolutions dealing with county finances, citing the need for further discussion and questions.

The first of the three is a supplement to the interlocal agreement on financing the Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority to pay the debt on FedExForum. The agreement allows revenue from a 2015 increase in the hotel-motel tax to be used to finance renovations of the Memphis Cook Convention Center as well as the debt on the arena.

40. Monuments Controversy May Mean Long Haul of Lawsuits, Negotiations - Wednesday, September 13, 2017

When the Tennessee Historical Commission votes Oct. 13 on a waiver that would permit the city of Memphis to remove Confederate monuments from two city parks, it won’t be anywhere near the last word on the matter.

41. County Commission Joins City Call to Remove Confederate Monuments - Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners approved a resolution Monday, Sept. 11, backing the city’s efforts to remove Confederate monuments with a waiver from the Tennessee Historical Commission. The resolution by commissioner Walter Bailey also backs the Memphis City Council’s move to an ordinance that could take down the monuments after the Oct. 13 decision if the historical commission does not grant the waiver.

42. Commission Tries to Stop Charter School Plan - Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Shelby County commissioners called on a charter school that planned to open in Memphis but instead wants to set up shop in Bartlett to stick by its original plan or put off opening Gateway University Charter School next week.

43. County Commission Calls For Halt to Gateway Charter Plans in Bartlett - Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners called on a charter school that planned to open in Memphis but instead is setting up shop in Bartlett to stick by its original plan or put off the opening of the Gateway University Charter School next week.

44. Herenton's New Path - Friday, July 28, 2017

Dan Michael is not the first Juvenile Court judge former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton has talked to about educating juvenile offenders in custody.

45. Commission Locks In $4.11 Tax Rate With 10-0 Vote - Friday, July 21, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners closed the books Wednesday, July 19, on another budget season with approval on third and final reading of a county property tax rate of $4.11.

The fourth commission meeting in a week and a half ran about 20 minutes, ending with the 10-0 vote. Several commissioners were absent from the special meeting.

46. Political Differences Endure After $4.11 Shelby County Tax Rate Compromise - Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Shelby County commissioners were still calculating Monday, July 17, after they passed a compromised, $4.11 county property tax rate that appears will stay put long enough for the commission to take a final vote Wednesday at a special meeting.

47. County Budget Talks Reveal Political Divide - Friday, July 14, 2017

When Shelby County Commissioners convene Monday, July 17, it will be their third meeting in a week – following committee sessions Wednesday and the special meeting to approve a county operating budget two days before that.

48. Commission Approves $1.2B County Budget - Wednesday, July 12, 2017

At the end of a marathon seven-hour meeting Monday, July 10, with one item on its agenda, the Shelby County Commission agreed on a $1.2 billion budget, including about $1.4 million in amendments added by the commission.

49. County Budget Accord Reached But Property Tax Rate Still In Flux - Tuesday, July 11, 2017

At the end of a marathon seven-hour meeting Monday, July 10, with one item on its agenda, the Shelby County Commission agreed on a $1.2 billion budget including about $1.4 million in amendments added by the commission.

50. County Budget Vote Delayed But Government Continues To Operate - Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Shelby County government’s fiscal year begins Saturday, July 1, but the county won’t have a new operating budget at least until July 10.

That’s when the Shelby County Commission meets in special session to take up an estimated $13 million in amendments various commissioners are proposing to the budget proposal of county mayor Mark Luttrell.

51. Shelby County’s Certified Property Tax Rate Set at $4.13 - Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the certified county property tax rate at $4.13 Monday, May 22, a 24-cent drop from the current tax rate of $4.37.

The resolution approved reflects the state-approved estimate of a tax rate that will produce the same amount of revenue for county government as the current tax rate following the 2017 countywide property reappraisal.

52. County Certified Property Tax Rate Comes In At $4.13 - Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the certified county property tax rate at $4.13 Monday, May 22, a 24-cent drop from the current tax rate of $4.37.

The resolution approved reflects the state-approved estimate of a tax rate that will produce the same amount of revenue for county government as the current tax rate once new property values from the 2017 countywide property reappraisal are factored in.

53. Commission OKs Design For Orgill Clubhouse - Saturday, April 22, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners approved Monday, April 17, a $24,000 contract with John Pruett Architects for design of a roof replacement at the Orgill Park golf course clubhouse, 9080 Bethuel Road.

54. Commission OKs Design Work For Orgill Clubhouse - Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners approved Monday, April 17, a $24,000 contract with John Pruett Architects for design of a roof replacement at the Orgill Park golf course clubhouse, 9080 Be-thuel Road.

55. First Budget Moves, Minority Business Measures Top Commission Session - Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the tone for the upcoming county government budget season Monday, April 17, with approval of a refinancing of county debt with up to $120 million in bonds over time.

56. First Budget Moves, Minority Business Measures Top Commission Session - Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the tone for the upcoming county government budget season Monday, April 17, with approval of a refinancing of county debt with up to $120 million in bonds over time.

57. Commission Moves Closer to Budget Season - Monday, April 17, 2017

Shelby County commissioners aren’t at budget season just yet, but there are already indications that it is going to be about capital spending.

Commissioners already have a detailed look at what Shelby County Schools will be looking for in the way of funding. And the commission will vote Monday, April 17, on a change in plans for a proposed $120 million refinancing of the county’s capital bond debt.

58. Lenoir Calls for Property Tax Cut Beyond New Certified Tax Rate From Reappraisal - Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir says there should be a cut in the county property tax rate beyond the new certified property tax rate to be set as a result of the 2017 countywide property reappraisal.

59. Commission Debates Use of $20M Surplus - Wednesday, April 5, 2017

The Shelby County Commission delayed a vote Monday, April 3, on a $120 million refinancing of the county’s capital bond debt for two weeks.

Commissioners are specifically eyeing a $20 million surplus in the county’s debt service fund – the fund that pays down the county’s debt.

60. County Commission Backs Medical Marijuana, Opposes School Vouchers - Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners endorsed state legislation Monday, Feb. 20, that would legalize marijuana for medical purposes, came out against a school voucher bill by state Senator Brian Kelsey of Germantown and turned away a social media use policy for county employees.

61. Strickland and Luttrell Mark Different Points in Mayoral Tenures - Monday, February 13, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland was 13 months and nine days in office when he delivered his second State of the City address last week at a Frayser church.

62. Planned Parenthood Vote Draws On Political Divide - Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Shelby County Commissioner Steve Basar looked out at the audience in the commission’s chambers Monday, Feb. 6, and saw something the commission only sees once or twice a year – a standing room-only crowd with every seat taken and most there for a single issue.

63. County Commission Approves Planned Parenthood Grant - Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners approved a $115,000 grant Monday, Feb. 6, to Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region on a 7-5 party line vote.

The vote on funding for a free condom distribution program that is a federal grant passed through the state drew a capacity crowd in commission chambers Downtown. Some of the partisans in the audience saw the controversy as a reflection of the country’s post-election political divide.

64. State: Planned Parenthood Condom Funding Required - Saturday, February 4, 2017

The Tennessee Department of Health says Shelby County government is required to fund a grant to Planned Parenthood for the distribution of free condoms as part of larger effort to combat the spread of the HIV virus.

65. Planned Parenthood Condom Grant Issue Returns to County Commission - Monday, February 6, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners consider their options Monday, Feb. 6, on a stalled Planned Parenthood grant for a free condom distribution program.

The options include going to court and a clash with state government over the $115,000 pass through of state money.

66. State Says County Must Fund Planned Parenthood Condom Contract - Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The Tennessee Department of Health says Shelby County government is required to fund a grant to Planned Parenthood for the distribution of free condoms as part of larger effort to combat the spread of the HIV virus.

67. County Commission Renews Bolton Contract - Saturday, January 14, 2017

The Shelby County Commission voted Monday, Jan. 9, to renew a $65,000 contract with attorney Julian Bolton that runs through the 2017 calendar year.

68. County Commission Renews Bolton Contract - Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday, Jan. 9, to renew a contract with attorney Julian Bolton after some debate about whether Bolton’s position is necessary.

69. County Commission Continues Bolton Contract, Approves Legislative Wish List - Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday, Jan 9, to renew its contract with attorney Julian Bolton after some debate about whether Bolton’s position in necessary.

70. Minority Contract Percentages Get Approval - Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners gave final approval Monday, Dec. 19, to a resolution that sets specific percentages for specific minority and other groups for getting a share of county government contracts.

71. County Commission Approves Specific Minority Contract Percentages - Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners gave final approval Monday, Dec. 19, to a resolution that sets specific percentages for specific minority and other groups for getting a share of county government contracts.

72. Empty Seats - Saturday, December 17, 2016

Shelby County Commissioner David Reaves can still see it clearly: “Take the whole map of the county and lay a grid on it. Then I’d like you to say, ‘Where’s the population? Where’s the projection?’ And then let’s strategically place schools all over the county based upon that and make them all of equal offerings.”

73. County Explores Legal Options to Fix Courts' Computer 'Ordeal' - Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners talked about possible legal action Wednesday, Nov. 30, against Tyler Technologies, the company supplying a new computer system for the local criminal justice system.

The prolonged discussion in committee sessions Wednesday is the latest development in a disastrous rollout of the new record keeping system for the local court system.

74. Shelby County Commission Approves Ambulance Service Starting Jan. 1 - Wednesday, October 19, 2016

In a two-month period, Shelby County government has decided to add ambulances to the services provided by the Shelby County Fire Department after years of regular debates about the wisdom of contracting with private companies for the service.

75. Commission Approves Bolton High Discussion - Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners approved Monday, Sept. 27, a resolution urging talks between Shelby County Schools officials and leaders of Agricenter International on converting Bolton High School to school with a regional agricultural focus.

76. The Week Ahead: September 26-October 2 - Monday, September 26, 2016

Hello, Memphis! This week kicks off with a presidential debate on the national stage. It wraps up with a hefty dose of bona fide blues, played on several stages much closer to home. And that’s just a taste of what you need to know about in The Week Ahead…

77. Commission Eyes Bolton High as Ag Career Center - Friday, September 23, 2016

When Wade Bolton was shot and fatally wounded in Court Square in 1869 by a former partner in a slave trading firm, it continued a long-running feud across several years in which eight people altogether would die violently.

78. Luttrell May Veto Ordinance on County Attorney - Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners have approved a ballot question for the Nov. 8 elections that would give them the final say if the county mayor moves to fire the county attorney.

But before the vote Monday, Aug. 29, by commissioners, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell indicated he might veto the referendum, saying he has a “concern” about what would be a limit on the power of mayors with the proposed amendment to the Shelby County charter.

79. Commission Sets Tax Rate, Debate Remains - Friday, July 29, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners made it official Wednesday, July 27, keeping the county property tax rate the same – at $4.37 per $100 of assessed value.

But the vote didn’t end the debate among commissioners about the future trajectory of the tax rate.

80. County Budget Done – Mostly - Thursday, June 30, 2016

Shelby County commissioners put most of their budget season to rest Wednesday, June 29, with $5 million from the county’s reserve fund after they added $13 million in amendments to the $1.1 billion county operating budget during a seven-hour session.

81. Long-Term Issues Push County Budget To Deadline - Wednesday, June 29, 2016

It’s not the basics that are keeping Shelby County Commissioners from a majority vote on school funding in the new operating budget.

It is the broader questions and budget assumptions some commissioners want to change in the process.

82. Shelby County Budget Delay Centers on $3.5 Million for Schools - Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Most of the declarations Monday, June 20, before the Shelby County Commission delayed final votes on local schools funding to next week came from the audience.

“For too long we’ve bled, died, cried and pled for education,” former Memphis City Council and Memphis City Schools board member TaJuan Stout-Mitchell told the commission.

83. County Commission Delays Budget Votes, Germantown School Talks Surface - Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners delayed final votes on all of the budget matters before them Monday, June 20, until a special meeting next week.

And a proposed sale of two Germantown schools surfaced in the middle of another marathon budget session for commissioners.

84. Schools Funding Again Center Stage For County Commission - Monday, June 20, 2016

Shelby County commissioners could wrap up most of the formalities Monday of their budget season.

But it will probably take a while.

The biggest issue of the season – school funding – appeared to be resolved with a compromise last week in committee sessions.

85. County Schools Funding Compromise to Be Tested - Friday, June 17, 2016

Fragile is probably the best way to describe the compromise that emerged this week from county commissioners to fully fund the Shelby County Schools budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The plan that closes a $27.4 million gap between what the school system wants and what Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell proposed in April had eight votes on the 13-member commission in Wednesday, June 15, committee sessions.

86. Commission Puts Together Schools Funding Compromise - Thursday, June 16, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners cobbled together a fragile plan Wednesday, June 15, to fully fund the Shelby County Schools system’s budget request, closing a $27.4 million budget gap with county government funding.

87. Last Word: A Different Aftermath and Trolleys Aren't Just for Tourists - Tuesday, June 7, 2016

A week that will likely end with the funeral of a Memphis Police officer began with a discussion about violent crime that is even at this early point proving to be different from the past discussions we’ve had at times like these.

88. Shelby County Schools Wraps Up a Calmer, But Still Eventful, Year - Friday, May 27, 2016

Given the last six years of historic change in public education locally, you could be forgiven if you thought of Friday’s half day of classes for Shelby County Schools as the end of an idyllic school year.

89. Commission, Shelby County Schools Leaders Talk Funding - Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners set the stage for a Wednesday, May 25, budget committee session on school funding by holding up $2.8 million in redirected Shelby County Schools funding at its Monday meeting.

90. SCS Budget Quest About More Than Dollar Figures - Wednesday, May 18, 2016

When the Shelby County Commission meets next week to look over the budget proposal approved Monday, May 16, by the Shelby County Schools board, there will be a debate that goes beyond the bottom line dollar figures and line items.

91. Pieces of Schools Budget Begin to Fall Into Place - Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners on Monday, May 9, approved $33 million in capital funding among the county’s seven public school systems for the current fiscal year that ends June 30.

Shelby County Schools’ share of the funding, based on average daily attendance, is 78 percent, or $26 million. That’s what SCS superintendent Dorsey Hopson requested last month of the commission.

92. Herenton Pitches Two New Schools For Juvenile Offenders - Friday, May 6, 2016

Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton began Wednesday, May 4, with an appeal that got the attention of Shelby County Commissioners. “We don’t want your money,” he told 11 of the 13 commissioners in committee sessions as he pitched two new residential campuses for children in juvenile detention.

93. Last Word: Memphis Gets Busy, Elections Future and Past and Dad Rock In C-Y - Tuesday, April 26, 2016

While their folks are still getting settled over in the front office at The Commercial Appeal, Gannett announces Monday an $815 million offer to buy Tribune Publishing which would put The Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune in the expanding USA Today family.

94. Hopson Reviewing School Closing Options - Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Shelby County Schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson hadn’t planned on proposing any closures for the 2016-2017 academic year after several consecutive years of closing underutilized and underachieving schools.

95. Conrad Call for De-Annexation Talks Draws Favorable Reviews - Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Memphis City Council Chairman Kemp Conrad wants to open talks with county commissioners on possible voluntary de-annexations.

And County Commission Chairman Terry Roland said he is open to the idea.

96. Last Word: Greensward Truce, Connor Schilling Retires and MEMFix Goes East - Friday, April 1, 2016

You’ve heard of the mediation process surrounding the long-term use of the Overton Park Greensward by the Memphis Zoo for its overflow parking.
It appears there is now a less formal mediation process underway when it comes to the use of the greensward during the park’s spring peak season which is now underway.

97. County Commission Closes Meeting on Disparity Study - Wednesday, March 30, 2016

The Shelby County Commission got its first look Monday, March 28, at a disparity study it commissioned in 2014 to look at how much in county government contracts go to minority businesses.

But the meeting was closed to the public by county attorney Ross Dyer, citing possible litigation over what is a first legal step toward setting goals in county government contracting for minority business.

98. Lifting Term Limits Referendum Loses Second Round Before County Commission - Tuesday, March 29, 2016

For a second time in three weeks, an ordinance to put a referendum on the August ballot to do away with county government term limits failed to get seven votes on the Shelby County Commission.

The vote at the Monday, March 28, commission meeting was 3-5 on the second of three readings with 11 commissioners present and three either not voting or formally abstaining.

99. Commission Takes Second Vote on Term Limits Referendum - Monday, March 28, 2016

Shelby County Commissioners take up the second of three readings Monday, March 28, of an ordinance that would ask voters to do away with term limits for the commission, the office of Shelby County Mayor and five other countywide elected positions.

100. County Commission Questions City Figures on Deannexation - Friday, March 18, 2016

Some Shelby County Commissioners are skeptical about City Hall’s estimate of how much city government would lose in revenue if a deannexation bill in the Tennessee Legislature becomes law.

The commission’s discussion at Wednesday, March 16, committee sessions came as Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland was in Nashville to lobby against the bill in the state Senate.